Dr. Fei Yang, University of Minnesota, Extension Corn Entomologist, and Dr. Yucheng Wang, University of Minnesota, Research Associate Northern corn rootworm will leave corn to forage on other plants. Photo: Bruce Potter Corn farmers in Minnesota continue to face significant challenges from the corn rootworm (CRW) complex, primarily the Northern Corn Rootworm (NCR) and Western Corn Rootworm (WCR). Crop rotation has traditionally been a reliable method for managing CRW, as adults predominantly lay eggs in corn fields and the larvae survive only on corn roots. Rotating corn to other crops will disrupt the CRW life cycle and eliminate local populations. While significant Minnesota WCR populations have been limited to continuous corn, a subset of NCR has adapted to crop rotation through an extended diapause trait, which allows eggs to remain dormant in the soil for two or more winters. This adaptation enables larval survival in rotated fields when corn is planted every other year....
On this episode of Advancing Nitrogen Smart , Brad and Dan take some of the mystery out of variable rate nitrogen. What are we trying to accomplish when we use a variable rate management practice? What kinds of field conditions might benefit from VRN, and which conditions should be avoided with VRN? How might the other 3 R's (Timing, Source & Placement) play a part in variable rate decision making? All that and more on today's show. TRANSCRIPT Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: Is variable rate nitrogen based on yield maps a good idea? Variable rate nitrogen: What farmers should know Making sense of Minnesota’s corn fertilizer guidelines: Frequently asked questions and answers Fertilizing corn in Minnesota Nitrogen Smart --- Click here to listen to all Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast episodes. For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Man...